The Colorado State and Wyoming men’s basketball programs each signed a player from the state of Colorado on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period.

Coaches must wait until players are signed before they could talk about them to the media.

Here’s what CSU coach Larry Eustachy had to say about 6-foot-2 guard Jeremiah Paige, a senior at Rangeview High School in Aurora:

“I think Jeremiah can be a factor for us right away,” Eustachy said. “He’s got a real chance. It’s big to get another player (from the Denver area). He is a guy we kind of targeted because of his ties to the university. It’s important we continue to have a presence (in metro Denver).”

Paige’s grandfather, Larry Paige, starred at CSU and was drafted in 1978 by the Los Angeles Lakers. Two distant uncles, Floyd and Larry Kerr, also played for the Rams, and Floyd was inducted into the school’s athletics hall of fame.

Colorado State also signed 6-9, 170-pound Toby Van Ry, a senior at Fort Collins High School. But prior to enrolling at CSU, Ry is expected to play a year at a prep school to get stronger.

Wyoming coach Larry Shyatt on 6-10, 250-pound forward Jonathan Barnes, a senior at Ponderosa High School in Parker:

“Jonathan was a late bloomer to everyone, including himself. He started basketball late at Ponderosa High School and I give a great deal of credit to his coach Mike Gibbs, who believed in Jonathan’s future. Kudos to Mike’s ability to live with a process. All too many times people want something yesterday instead of working toward a process. Jonathan is a great example.

“Every time he stepped on the floor last year he got better and better. At 6-10 and 250 pounds now and still growing, we feel he is someone we really needed to get to the next step in our process of being an annually competitive Mountain West team.”

Kensler joined The Denver Post in 1989 and has covered a variety of beats, including Colorado, Colorado State, golf, Olympics and the Denver Broncos. His brush with greatness: losing in a two-on-two pickup basketball game at Ohio State against two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.